Friday, September 19, 2008

Raise the Jolly Roger - It's 'Talk Like A Pirate Day'

A pirate might yet figure in my genealogy - but so far the closest I've come to the sea is Lancelott Rogers, rope maker, born abt 1785, in Backwell, Somerset, England. That's this close to Bristol - one of England's greatest ports, often associated with pirates and privateering. My brother is still hoping for proof that we've a pirate or two in our family.

While searching Winnipeg newspapers of old, I did find that in the dark days of the 1930's, Winnipegers had a rare chance to win some 'Pirates' Gold'. Readers were told about a pirate, Antoin Beluche, and shown his murderous sketches - clues to the missing words in his will. I do wonder if my mum and grandma or grandpa entered this contest. And, I wonder who the winners were. I can't seem to find that news in the papers. If anyone knows a winner, please comment! [For all the winners, see my next post: http://canadagenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/09/raise-jolly-roger-pirate-gold-winners.html ]

This is all in fun nowadays, isn't it? but piracy was originally dead serious. You can learn more about a real pirate who may have been from Bristol, Edward Teach, 'Blackbeard', here: